ND Filter USA - Photography Terms & Glossary

Glossary Of Photography Terms [1]

ND Filter An ND (Neutral Density) filter is a photographic filter that reduces the amount of light entering the camera lens without affecting the color or hue of the image. ND filters are commonly used in photography and cinematography to achieve creative effects and control exposure settings in bright light conditions, such as daylight or when shooting with wide aperture settings. By reducing the amount of light entering the camera, ND filters allow photographers to use slower shutter speeds for motion blur effects, wider aperture settings for shallow depth of field effects, or longer exposure times for capturing dynamic scenes without overexposing the image.

ND filters are available in various strengths, typically measured in stops (e.g., ND2, ND4, ND8), with higher ND values indicating greater light reduction. Graduated ND filters, which transition from dark to clear across the filter surface, are also available to help balance exposure between bright skies and darker foregrounds in landscape photography. ND filters are essential tools for photographers seeking to achieve precise control over exposure settings and creative effects in their images.